Electrical system of distribution.



W. A. TURBAYNE.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1908.

991,106. Patented May 2,1911.

lll1lil\lllllll lilllill glitz? W MENTOR; @1044 @WJ ATTOR EYJ' UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. TURBAYNE, OF LANCASTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed May 2, 1908. Serial No. 430,461.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. TURBAYNE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Lancaster, in the county of Erie, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Systemsof Distribution, of which the following is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to electrical systems of distribution and has beendevised for and is especially applicable to car lighting systems inwhich the main dynamo is actuated by the movement of the car and astorage battery is employed to be charged from said main dynamo tosupply the work circuit when'the main dynamo is not in operation.

vMy invention is not, however, limited to such a specific system.

A number of features of the system which I shall show and describe andwith which my invention may be employed have been described and shown inmy Patent No.

954,599, April 12, 1910.

My present invention involves means whereby the operation of the systemis more reliable and the arrangement more simple,

and whereby the batteries may be chargedat a constant rate at all timesuntil the battery is substantially fully charged, at which time improvedautomatic means are actuated to substantially stop the chargingoperation by reducing the charging current to a very small value, orentirely eliminating it. I

have found that this method of charging the batteries is the mostsatisfactory in such a system, both from the standpoint of the batteriesand from the standpoint of the other apparatus and circuits.

My invention consists of various features of construction, arrangementand combination of apparatus as will be better understood from adescriptionof the specific embodiment shown in the drawing.

The drawing shows diagrammatically a system of distribution embodyingone form of my invention.

In the drawing A indicates the main dynamo and A the field windingthereof.

The dynamo is indicated as being driven by a pulley B and belt B fromany suitable source of power, as, for example, the axle of a railwaycar. C is an auxiliary or regulating dynamo which is mechanicallyconnected to the maindynamo by the shaft D and, therefore, rotates inthe same. direction as the main dynamo. C and C are field windings ofthe auxiliary dynamo or generator. E is a storage battery and F a workcircuit which, in the present instance, consists of a number of lampswith a regulating resistance in the circuit of each. G is a switch thatcontrols the connection of the field winding A of the main dynamo. Thevarious portions of the system are shown in the positions they occupywhen the system is about to be started up. The switch H is open and thework circuit is being fed from the battery. The coil C of the auxiliarygenerator is energized from the battery, the terminals of the coil beingconnected across the battery through the resistance C and generator A.At this time also the auxiliary generator C is connected in a localcircuit with the field winding A of the main dynamo, the circuit beingfrom the upper brush of the auxiliary generator, through the fieldwinding A, thence through the spring 9' to contacts 9 and 9 carriedthereby, thence-through the contacts g and gt of the pivoted member G tothe contacts 9 and 9 carried on the spring 9 thence through coil 1 tothe lower brush of the auxiliary generator. Thus when the machines arestarted the auxiliary generator will excite the main generator, andsince both generators rotate in the same direction the positive terminalof the main generator will always be on the same side.

Upon development of an electromotive force by the main dynamo a currentis developed in the local circuit which includes the conductor 7', coilJ, contacts 9 g, and g, springs g and 9 contacts 9 g and g and conductorj. This current energizes a magnetizable member J extending from thepivoted switch member G. The arm J will be attractedupwardly ordownwardly by the magnetizable members I or I according to the directionof the current from the auxiliary dynamo. If the arm J moves upward thenthe contact arm G will swing so that the contact is broken between g andg and between g and 9 whereas if it is attracted downward the contactarm G will break contact between g and g and between g and 9. Theseconnections throw the field A in circuit with the main generator A andauxiliary generator 0 and cause the field A to be very rapidly built up.

lVhen the electromot-ive force of the main generator has reached itsnormal value, the switch H is closed by the action of the coil H. Thisthrows the work circuit and battery in series with the main generatorand a heavy current passes through the coil C At the same time the coilC is short-circuited and it will have practically no effect as anexciting element. The heavy current in coil C now reverses the polarityof the generator C and causes it to become a counter-machine to opposethe electromotive force of the main dynamo. As the current varies inthis coil the counter-electromotive force of the auxiliary generatorwill vary and the electromotive force of the main dynamo will vary, thearrangement being such that as the current in coil C increases theelectromotive force of the main dynamo will decrease and vice versa,thus regulating the main dynamo to give a substantially constant currentthrough the coil C The tendency in such a system is, as has already beenpointed out; to keep the current in coil C constant and, therefore, tokeep the battery charging current constant, but, it has been foundadvantageous to markedly and materially decrease or eliminate thischarging current when the battery has become charged to the properextent. To accomplish this a solenoid K is connected directly across thebattery terminals so that it will be subject to the battery voltage atall times. This solenoid is provided with a core K and an armature Lpivoted at L and adapted to be drawn toward the core K against theaction of a spring L At its positive terminal, the solenoid K isprovided with a contact terminal M adapted to contact with the terminalN on the armature L when the latter is drawn toward the core K under theaction of the solenoid K. The armature L, and consequently the contactterminal N is connected to the coil C, between it and the resistance Cby a conductor The parts are so adjusted that when the battery voltagerises to that point where it has received the proper charge. theelectromagnetic strength of the solenoid K becomes great enough toovercome the opposing force of spring L and the armature N is drawntoward the solenoid and the contact terminals M and N are broughttogether. This throws the field coil C direct-1y across the terminals ofthe generator A and its connections are practically reversed and astrong current is forced therethrough by said generator. This currentwill be in the opposite direction from that originally furnished thecoil C by the battery, and the coil C will aid the coil C and theopposing electromotive force of the auxiliary generator C will bematerially increased. This action cuts down the effective voltage of themain generator A, thereby materially reducing or eliminating thecharging current produced thereby.

The resistance C is inserted to cut down the value of the excitingcurrent in the coil C when the machines are being started up and toprevent the battery becoming short circuited upon the actuation of leverL. It is only necessary that a very small excitation e provided by thecoil C to cause the machines to properly build up and the resistance Cprevents a needless waste of current for this purpose.

When the generators are at rest the lamps or other load at F are fed bythe battery and the switch H is open to prevent a feverse currentflowing from the battery through the main generator A. The field coil Cis provided with a weak current from the battery as above explained.When the generators are started up the generator C, excited by the coilG, will produce an exciting current in the field windings Ain such adirection as to always maintain the same brush of the main generatorpositive. This current also operates the pole changer 1 to properlyconnect the field windings A in shunt with armature of generator A tomaintain this condition of polarity. The machine now will build upindependently of the generator 0 although it may be aided somewhatthereby. Vhen the voltage of generator A reaches its normal value theswitch H is closed by the coil H and the coil C becomes short-circuited.If the battery is in a more or less discharged condition a chargingcurrent will flow through coil C in such a direction as to cause theauxiliary generator C to oppose the main generator. If the chargingcurrent increases the opposition of generator 0 increases and this tendsto cut down the charging current to its normal value. If the chargingcurrent decreases, as by a decrease in speed, the reverse operationstake place. Vhen the battery has become sufficiently charged asindicated by the voltage across its terminals the solenoid K causes thecontact terminals M and N to be brought together and the field coil C tobe connected directly across the generator A. A heavy current will nowflow through the coil C in the opposite direction so that it will aidthe exciting coil C and the opposing action of the auxiliary genera torC will be materially increased. This cuts down the voltage of the maingenerator and the charging current is thereby greatly reduced, oreliminated so that the battery mav float across the mains.

From the above .it will be seen that I have provided a most simple andeffective means for regulating the action of the generator. By myimprovements only two regulating battery becomes fully charged. By theuseof two such coils on the electric device C the arrangement,construction and operation is much simplified and the regulation is madeextremely close and reliable.'

Although I have shown one embodiment of my invention as applied to anaxle lighting system of electrical distribution I donot limit myself tothe details of construction and combination of this particularembodiment, but include such modifications therein as are within theprinciple of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Havin thus fully described my invention what I c aim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a storage apparatus in operative relation thereto,anauxiliary generator having field windings responsive to changes in thecurrent to the storage apparatus for regulating the out-' put of themain generator, and an electromagnetic device for regulating the actionof said auxiliary generator responsive to the change in theelectromotive force of the storage apparatus.

2. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a battery in operative relation thereto, an auxiliary sourceof electromotive force for regulating the charging current of the maingenerator, a coil in the battery circuit for regulating said source, anelectroresponsive device actuated upon a change of battery voltage tocause the auxiliary source to suddenly and markedly decrease thecharging current.

3. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a battery in operative relation thereto, an auxiliarygenerator provided with a field coil for fixing the polarity of the maingenerator and means for reversely connecting said field coil when thevoltage of the battery rises to a given value.

4. In an electrical system of distribution,

the combination of a main generator, a battery in operative relationthereto, an auxiliary generator provided with a field coil fordetermining the polarity of the main generator, means forshortcircuiting said coil during the normal operation of the system andmeans for connecting said field coil to a source of electromotive forceindependent of the battery, responsive to a change in the I batterycondition.

5. In an electrlcal system ofdistribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a battery in operative relation thereto, an auxiliarygenerator governed by the battery current for governing the action ofthe main generator, and an electromagnetic device for causing theauxiliary generator to suddenly and markedly decrease the output of themain enerator when the battery has reached a pre etermined condition ofcharge.

6. In an electrical system of distribution, a variable speed generator,a work circuit and storage battery arranged to be fed therebysimultaneously, an auxiliary source of electromotive force connected toregulate the output of the generator, windingscon-- nected to regulatethe action of said source responsive to change in the battery chargingcurrent to cause the generator to maintain a substantially constantcharging current, and windings connected to regulate the action of saidsource to-cut down the battery charging current responsive to a certainrise in battery voltage.

7. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a storage battery in operative relation thereto, an auxiliarygenerator connected to be responsive to variations in the batterycharging current controlling the field of said main generator andnormally maintaining a practically constant charging currentsubstantially throughout the charging of the battery, and means actuatedupon an increase of electromotive force o f/the battery when the same issubstantially charged, for substantially reducing the charging current.

8 In an electrical system of distribution, a wariable speed generator, awork circuit and storage battery arranged to be fed therebysimultaneously, an auxiliary opposing dynamo connected to regulate theoutput of the generator, windings connected to regulate the action ofsaid opposing dynamo responsive to changes .in the battery chargingcurrent to cause the generator to maintain a substantially constantcharging current, and windings connected to regulate the action of saidopposing dynamo to cut down the battery charging current when thebattery has become charged.

9. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a battery in operative relation thereto, an auxiliarygenerator for governing the action of the main generator, a coil in thebattery circuit for regulating the auxiliary generator, anelectroresponsive device connected directly across the terminals of thebattery and arranged to be actuated upon a change of electromotive forcethereof, and means atfecting the field strength of said auxiliarygenerator by the actuation of said device.

10. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, at battery arranged to be charged thereby, an auxiliarygenerator for governing the action of said main generator and providedwith a field coil, connected to the battery, and an electromagneticdevice for reversing the connections of said field coil when the-batteryhas become sufficiently charged.

1l.- In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a storage battery arranged to be charged thereby, anauxiliary generator for regulating the main generator and provided witha field coil substantially denergized during the normal, operation ofthe system, and an electroresponsive device for connecting said fieldcoil across the terminals of the main generator when the battery voltagehas reached a predetermined value.

12. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a battery arranged to be charged thereby, an auxiliarygenerator, connections whereby the auxiliary generator is arranged toaid the main generator to build up its field when the system is startedup and field windings on the auxiliary generator connected to besupplied from the battery, and automatic means or increasing theenergization of said field coil when the battery has reached apredetermined state of charge.

13. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, at battery arranged to be charged thereby, an auxiliarygenerator for regulating the action of the main generator, a field coilon the auxiliary generator connected to the battery, means forshort-circuiting said field coil during the normal operation of thesystem and an electromagnetic device for reversing the connections ofsaid field coil when the battery has reached a predetermined state ofcharge.

14. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a bat tery arranged to be charged thereby, an auxiliarygenerator for regulatin the action of the main generator, provided witha field coil for regulating responsive to variations in the batterycharging current and a field coil for materially aiding the action ofsaid first mentioned coil when the battery has reached a predeterminedstate of charge.

15. In an electrical system of distribution, the combination of a maingenerator, a battery arranged to be charged thereby, an auxiliarygenerator for regulating the action of the main generator, provided withfield windings and connections whereby it is arranged to regulateresponsive to variations in the battery charging current and a fieldcoil for materially varying the charging current, and anelectroresponsive device for controlling said last mentioned field coilresponsive to a change in the battery voltage.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. TURBAYNE. Witnesses:

T. M. PATTERSON, W. H. PATTENDEN.

